Month: July 2020

Taylor Rooks: I talked to Austin Rivers …

Taylor Rooks: I talked to Austin Rivers about whether or not this NBA Champion will have an asterisk next to their name. This was his response: “I think whoever wins should have a asterisk next it. But only for it being one of the toughest championships ever won. Your asking guys to take 3-4 months off, then come back and find chemistry etc. then play during a pandemic, while players are fighting for the BLM. There’s a lot going on right now. Crazy times and a lot of worry. And during these times players are leaving there families to go live in a locked down bubble. So for all these reasons and more. I think it will be one of the more tougher championships ever won. Only season ever like this. EVER. “

Fultz, who is averaging 12.1 points and …

Fultz, who is averaging 12.1 points and 5.2 assists this season, did not have access to the Magic’s practice facility, so he could not treat his various shoulder and knee ailments that had bothered him in recent seasons. Even though Fultz already plays in Orlando, where the NBA will host its resumed season, the Magic do not have any geographical advantage. “At first, I thought we were going to be able to stay at home so I was a little excited. But then I realized we were going to have stay in the bubble, too,” Fultz said. “I understand the reasons why. It’s something I’m consciously thinking about. But I think about other teams that have to fly in their state and where they are playing at to come to Orlando. It is something that none of us have been used to or ready for. I’ve been thinking about it like it’ll be an AAU tournament.”

Draymond Green: ‘Wiseman would be a great add’

Could Wiseman be a match for the Warriors if they hold on to their top-5 draft pick? Draymond Green believes so, though he admitted on ESPN’s “Jalen and Jacoby” that he hasn’t seen a lot of Wiseman — in fairness none of us have. “I’ve seen some clips of his workouts and highlights, and he looks to be pretty mobile, a pretty athletic guy,” Green said Tuesday. “So with our speed and pace, the way we play, I think he would definitely be a great add if that’s case, but I don’t really know what pick we’re going to get or what pick he’s going to go. I’m a living testament to that. You never know how the draft is going to go and how the cards may fall.”

Moore Catholic athletic director and …

Moore Catholic athletic director and boys’ varsity basketball coach Kyle McAlarney will step down from his positions to accept an NBA-related job opportunity, the Advance has learned. Ironically, Wednesday (July 1) would have been two years to the day McAlarney took over as AD and coach at his alma mater following a successful pro hoops career overseas.

According to McAlarney, he’s accepted a …

According to McAlarney, he’s accepted a job as a player representative for Priority Sports, a prominent agency that has many dealings with the NBA. The West Brighton resident, who’s planning to become a certified agent, will have a plethora of responsibilities in his position, including training pre-NBA draftees, working in the pre-NBA draft program, conferring with college coaches and doing film work. McAlarney’s new job will entail a considerable amount of travel as Priority Sports is based out of Chicago and Sherman Oaks, Calif.

Longtime NBA fans may know Joe Borgia …

Longtime NBA fans may know Joe Borgia from his days as a referee in the 1980s and 1990s. NBA insiders know him from his time work in the league’s referee operations office. Today’s fans recognize Borgia as the face and voice of the NBA’s replay center in Secaucus, New Jersey where reviews are conducted along with referees on the court. Borgia was instrumental in ushering in the replay review era both as the senior vice president of replay and referee operations and the man who often explained rulings to fans watching on TV. Thursday marked the end of Borgia’s 32-year career with the NBA.

This season, Borgia transitioned from …

This season, Borgia transitioned from the replay center to overseeing the coach’s challenge. Former referee Jason Phillips stepped into Borgia’s old role and will be the main guy in the replay center. In retirement, how will Borgia watch NBA games? “I can’t watch it for fun,” he said. “I will be reffing a game, and I will be watching the replay saying, ‘C’mon guys. Hurry up. Let’s go.’”

Justin Holiday: Black athletes, …

Justin Holiday: Black athletes, however, are multifaceted human beings, with the physical and intellectual capacity to do more than dribble and dunk. We are more than athletes. And thus, we’re able to feel frustrated while also showing up for work with a committed attitude and focused mindset. We’re able to be thankful for a means of prosperity while also feeling conflicted by expectations. Life is more valuable than status and earning power. Job 42:2 tells us that we were born with worth and with a purpose, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t also acknowledge the power in my position as an NBA athlete. I also have a platform. I am a proud Black man, a man who has been mistreated due to the color of his skin, yet I have also been blessed to have crushed the odds against reaching the pinnacle of my profession.

Sixers come in ranked 9th in latest NBA power rankings before Orlando

The Philadelphia 76ers are ranked 9th in the latest power rankings.

The NBA season is set to resume after suspending operations on March 11 due to the global coronavirus pandemic. The league has found their “bubble site” or “NBA campus” if you will to have 22 teams resume and finish the 2019-20 season.

With that comes new power rankings! The rankings that try and predict and figure out how a specific team is doing at the moment.

The Athletic’s Zach Harper has come up with his power rankings list ahead of the league resumption on July 30 and he was not too high on the Philadelphia 76ers as they come in ranked 9th on his list.

Harper on the Sixers:

At this point, I don’t know if I have any good reasons for being optimistic about the Philadelphia 76ers outside of just liking their top talent. They haven’t built up any credit this season, and we don’t know how they’ll look away from Wells Fargo Center. Just a reminder, the Knicks were a half game better on the road this season than Philadelphia. Their schedule is cake, though. Tough games against Indiana, Toronto and Houston, but outside of that, they have favorable matchups to use to build their confidence up.

The road woes are a legitimate concern. Philadelphia was a ridiculous 29-2 at home, but a woeful 10-24 on the road, and that is where the concerns with this team come in for the Orlando restart. How are they going to respond to playing in an empty gym? These are real issues especially when the team’es best player, Joel Embiid, is a guy who feeds off the emotion of the crowd a lot.

The games begin again on August 1 when the Sixers take on the Indiana Pacers in the bubble. [lawrence-related id=33789,33782,33770]